The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Known powertrain architectures include torque-generative devices, including e.g., internal combustion engines and electric machines, which transmit torque, preferably through a transmission device, to an output member to propel a vehicle. A control system monitors various inputs from the vehicle and an operator and provides operational control of the powertrain, including controlling the transmission and the torque-generative devices, and regulating power interchange among the devices to manage outputs of the transmission, including torque and rotational speed.
During vehicle operation, it may be advantageous to operate the powertrain system with the internal combustion engine in an engine OFF state. Consequently, an efficient method for automatically starting (hereafter ‘autostart’) the internal combustion engine during ongoing vehicle operation is desirable.